Challenge Thursday #2

 

Today will be short... it's all about friends. We had a little scare yesterday (well, it was probably mostly me being totally wigged out, but that's how I am!). I realized that it is never okay to take anything or anyone for granted. Especially the people who mean the most to you in your life. You just never know when something could happen to change what you think of as normal.

I realized that I'm horrible at calling and keeping in touch, partly because when I do talk to her, it's like picking up from a conversation we just had yesterday so it doesn't seem as long as it really is. I'm busy... she's busy. But life isn't good when I don't include the people who matter the most, on a regular basis! I got a wake-up call two days ago, and even though things are all okay, I never want to regret not giving my friends enough time! The thought of losing her made me cry all day long. My heart goes out to my good friend Olivia who knows exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, I am sending you a hug Olivia because I know you are still missing your best friend.

So today's challenge is to think of someone you really love spending time with and make a real phone call or a date to see them! Don't put it off.  You'll never regret pushing something less important off for one more hour or one more afternoon to make time for the relationships that mean the most! And then, you can decide to keep in touch more often. Really, no one is here permanently on this earth, so it's important to use the time we have as wisely as possible. I am so thankful for my best friends!!!

Derek and Kellie WIN!!!

Derek Hough and Kellie Pickler won the Mirror Ball Trophy last evening on "Dancing with the Stars!" We stayed up until 11:00 pm just to hear. Sometimes the right outcome happens in life and that makes me very happy! Now I'll miss this inspiring show but I was told "So You Think You Can Dance" has started up. I told Craig that he and I should take dancing lessons together (every man's nightmare when they agree to watch these shows!) Actually we've had fun watching it this season because the talent was so high. I'm afraid now that the show will jump the shark... that's what tends to happen after an extraordinarily good season and also Derek is probably leaving to pursue other creative interests, like his show about professional dance that he and his sister Julianne Hough are producing. Anyways, I will miss watching Kellie dance because she is fantastic and I still remember watching the season of American Idol when she was discovered! (before that show jumped the shark,... after Adam Lambert it was never the same!). Back to real life now!

Something very fishy is going on...

When Craig and I heard the news about Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy we both immediately thought it was a crazy idea. And it's not like we haven't had breast cancer in my family or in close friends-- we have. Cancer sucks. But this whole idea of chopping off body parts just in case, doesn't make any sense. I was just telling my friend yesterday that I thought there must be some kind of corporate motivation for Angelina to do this or something. It seemed very fishy...

I was right! The Supreme Court is hearing the case on whether or not to allow gene patenting for BRCA1 gene by Myriad Genetics (who came up with this genetic test that Angelina did) and they are positioned to make trillions of dollars from it.  Let me just say that again-- they want to patent that gene which is in the human body naturally. Did you know that 20 percent of your genes are already patented by corporations and universities??? The Supreme Court has the power to reverse this right now. So of course Myriad Genetics is pulling out the big guns and positioning Angelina to cause fear in women that shouldn't exist, so that they can win this case! This is why she appeared in People magazine to give Myriad's talking points, which is all part of their P.R. campaign to win the lawsuit!

I found this article by Natural News (actually there are 3 good articles he wrote that address this) and it explains exactly what is going on, how the 87% chance of getting breast cancer was a bogus number that Angelina gave and what the real percentage is (A LOT lower!), and what any woman can do to keep herself from getting cancer even if she has the gene! Prevention is the healthy and only real alternative. It is now shown that Indole-3-Carbinol (I3C) is a potent anti-cancer nutrient that halts breast cancer in its tracks and this can be easily gotten from raw cruciferous vegetables! Studies also show that vitamin D prevents nearly 4 out of 5 cancers of all types including breast cancer! Self-mutilation is a sick way to try to prevent illness. I had to agree with another article that Mike Adams wrote that stated how male cancer doctors are not cutting off their testicles to avoid testicular cancer and would think that idea was completely insane!!!

This is a real war on women-- cutting off body parts for money under the disguise of "cure"!!!
The ACLU has filed a lawsuit against Myriad Genetics charging that patents on two human genes associated with breast and ovarian cancer, BRCA1 and BRCA2 are unconstitutional and invalid. The case started on April 15, 2013 and is being argued right now!

"On behalf of researchers, genetic counselors, women patients, cancer survivors, breast cancer and women's health groups, and scientific associations representing 150,000 geneticists, pathologists, and laboratory professionals, we have argued that human genes cannot be patented because they are classic products of nature. The suit charges that the gene patents violate the First Amendment and stifle diagnostic testing and research that could lead to cures and that they limit women's options regarding their medical care."


Now you know too. I think the only way to stop this craziness is to tell people!

** And let me say that Dr. Oz was promoting this surgery (and remember he is a surgeon and of course thinks surgery is healthy-- he even stated that!) Utterly ridiculous!

Tuesday

My heart goes out to the people in Oklahoma right now. I know the terror of being in a tornado (I am a midwestern girl, you know!) and I think that's why I've never liked spring... tornado season. I'll keep them in my prayers. 

I'd rather talk about happy things today...

Here's a picture of my lunch today: a blueberry-raspberry-lemonade smoothie! Mmmmm.

I was planting things in the garden and then Ellie and I played with the water from the hose. She runs and barks and tries to grab the water as it's coming out. It's hilarious! I was laughing so hard and so was she! ;P



Did you see "Dancing with the Stars" last night? (The finale)  OH MY GOSH!  Derek and Kellie's freestyle dance was EPIC.  I cry every time I watch it. It is all over the internet today. They should win. People are calling it the best dance on DWTS ever!  Their dance in front of the red screen last week was fantastic too. Derek Hough is such a talented choreographer. Even the rotating room dance he did a couple weeks ago was amazing-- they defied gravity, after an old Gene Kelly dance! This is the first time I think I've voted (and I'm a huge fan of the show). GO Team KellieDerek!!! The Results Show is tonight! Then I don't know what I'm going to do. They are so inspiring!

"MOST FUN IN MY LIFE"

Caroline & Mary

Texting at 10:15 pm last night...

Me: Was it good?

Caroline:  MOST FUN IN MY LIFE

Me: Awesome!!!!!!!!

Caroline: I'll show you pics later

Me:  [tongue in cheek] Any wedding proposals?

Caroline:  NO BUT DAEYUN LOOKED OVER AT OUR SIDE SO I STEPPED BACK AND WAVED AND JUMPED SO HE LAUGHED AND WAVED BACK AND I DIED AND SCREAMED

AND ZELO LOOKED AT MARY AT ONE POINT

THEY WERE LOOKING AND WAVING AND BLOWING KISSES TO EVERYONE


And that about sums up how this will be one of the most memorable nights of Caroline's teenage years!

BAP in NYC right now

Great to have inside sources...

Father of the Year!

Craig and Caroline

More B.A.P.!

 It's only 2 1/2 hours from our house to New York City... except when you're only 4 miles away and are stuck there for an hour!! (Which means it was like 3.5 hours, just like taking the train!)

 This is the line... 3 blocks long! You either got standing admission in the front, or the seats at the back. Of course they are standing. The Starbucks lady felt sorry for Craig and gave him an extra shot of espresso! Do you see what's playing on Broadway right now? "Once"!!! I love that movie (and own it plus the soundtrack). I might just have to take the train in and see it this summer!!! (Though I vowed after being in NYC in July that I'd never go again in summer because it smells like urine in the city.)

Here is Mary and Leenie walking to find the box office. I guess they have become friends with the family behind them in line. They came all the way up from Florida so their daughter could see the show! (We're not the only crazy parents out there!!!). So now the girls have new friends to text and swap KPop stories with!

That's all I know... doors open at 7:30 pm (in just half an hour). Hopefully they can sneak a pic! Which reminds me that I have illegal photos I took at the Police concert back in 1984 (They added Cincinnati onto their concert list and we were in the front row on Feb. 14th! That's when Sting was still cute.) I'll have to dig them out and post them someday (no digital back then!). Tonight, maybe I'll watch a girlie movie. Nathaniel has plans with his friends. Ahhh... couch to myself and there's ice cream in the freezer and chocolate in the cupboard. Sounds like a perfect night! ;)

BAP crazy!

Caroline has been waiting months for one of her favorite Korean groups to come to the States for a concert!  At noon today, Craig picked her up from school, along with her best friend Mary, and they headed to NYC to see them tonight!  They are playing at a small theater just for the night (they've been in San Francisco and I don't remember where else). They sold out the show in under 10 minutes! They were lucky to get tickets and I can't wait to hear all about it! Hopefully they will take some photos of themselves that I can post. (It's hard to get teens to do anything you ask when it comes to photos!) Craig wins BEST DAD OF THE YEAR for taking them (he also was smart and brought along earplugs!).